The Presidency said the New PDP’s position was based on ignorance and therefore advised Baraje to consult his lawyers in order to understand what the 1999 Constitution says on the tenure of a President.
It also stated that the Baraje faction’s visit to the National Assembly showed that it was not ready for peace.
Baraje, during a visit to the Senate President, Senator David Mark, on Tuesday, said that Jonathan wanted a third term from back door.
The factional chairman, who was accompanied on the visit by the seven governors in the New PDP, had demanded “the reversal of the dissolution of the party’s executives in Rivers and Adamawa states; conduct of a fresh convention of the party; removal of Dr. Bamanga Tukur as the national chairman of the PDP; and total objection to third term for President Jonathan from the back door.”
But the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Ahmed Gulak, told one of our correspondents in Abuja, that “Baraje spoke out of ignorance.”
“He (Baraje) should consult his lawyers so that he can be properly enlightened on what the constitution of Nigeria says on the tenure of the President,” Gulak said.
The presidential aide added that he pitied the New PDP leader’s predicament because he had allowed himself to be misled by governors who are pursuing personal agenda.
He said, “As a matter of fact, he is not the party chairman and he knows this. There are places and when party chairmen are elected. I pity him because as a stakeholder in the party, he had allowed those pursuing selfish agenda to mislead him. It is unfortunate. My advice for him is to retrace his steps.”
Gulak argued that the decision of the seven aggrieved governors and other members of the New PDP to visit the National Assembly despite the ceasefire announced at the end of their Sunday meeting with the President, was a proof that they were not ready to embrace peace.
He said although they embarked on the visit with a view to scoring cheap political points, they failed woefully in their bid.
According to him, the embarrassment they suffered at the National Assembly was enough for them to have a rethink in the propagation of what he called their selfish agenda.
He said, “The aggrieved governors led by their leader, Baraje, embarked on that visit to the National Assembly to score cheap political point but they have failed woefully.
“They were told the gospel truth. The President of the Senate (David Mark) told them that he stands by party unity. They embarked on that visit contrary to what was resolved at the Sunday meeting that all parties should stay action.
“They decided to jump the gun. That was a proof that they are not sincerely committed to peace. They are desperate in their bid to drag the people to join their selfish agenda.
“The National Assembly is however an open place. They are free to visit but the embarrassment they suffered there was enough for them to have a rethink.”
But the New PDP insisted on Wednesday that Jonathan’s 2015 ambition was similar to former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s third term project.
It said through its National Youth Leader, Timi Frank, that it was sensitising Nigerians to Jonathan’s “third term.”
The New PDP said, “What we are saying is that if the President chooses to run in 2015, it will be like the third term which Obasanjo wanted to smuggle into the 1999 Constitution.
“What we are doing is to sensitise Nigerians. There is no difference between what Obasanjo wanted to do and what the President wants to do if he runs in 2015. We are all about good governance, we are not going to be discouraged, we are the authentic PDP. Make no mistake about it. We stand by our terms.”
The group said the fact that Gulak scored only 35 votes in the last election in Adamawa State showed that he lacked political clout.
The faction said, “He is always making utterances that will get the President into trouble. He is priming the President against Nigerians because Nigerians today are totally against the policies of the President; they are totally against the President’s style of leadership politically in this country.
“Our leadership that went to the National Assembly was made up of credible people; the governors are respected in Nigeria. Our National Chairman, Baraje .did far better than Tukur and we expected him (Tukur) to learn from the enviable records of Baraje, who was the chairman of the PDP long before him.”
The New PDP had earlier in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary , Chief Chukwuemeka Eze, on Wednesday, said it had not entered into any deal with Jonathan.
It said there was no iota of truth in the claim by Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State that the aggrieved governors had agreed that the President could run in 2015.
The statement reads in part, “The Baraje-led PDP wishes to advise Nigerians to ignore the tissue of lies and propaganda from the Alhaji Tukur faction of the party on the outcome of our meeting with President Jonathan at the Presidential Villa last September 15, 2013.
“We have read various misleading accounts of what transpired at that meeting between our governors -Kwankwaso, Wamakko, Amaechi, Aliyu, Nyako, Ahmed and Lamido – and President Jonathan on how to resolve the self-inflicted crisis in our party.
“Akpabio lied by claiming that we have accepted that President Jonathan should contest the 2015 presidential election and that most of our demands were being met.
“The fact is that no agreement has been reached on any of the issues we tabled before the President and until we see results, Nigerians should ignore the present efforts by the Tukur camp to deceive them.”
It insisted that the Tukur faction was not interested in bringing back peace to the troubled party.
The group argued that the inauguration of a caretaker committee for the party in Kano State few hours after the Sunday showed Tukur’s disdain for peace.
It alleged that the inauguration was done without recourse to either Kwakwanso or other stakeholders of the PDP in the state. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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SHAME ON THEM ALL (G7), we Nigerians are wiser,,, the only person I pity is Rotimi Ameachi,
ReplyDeleteЂƠ̴̴̴̴̴̴͡w 1 wish ♈ōϋ α̲̅rє actually i̶̲̥̅̊n̶̲̥̅̊ pity Før yourself....ignorance
DeletePlease,can Nigerians ask this seven Governors what they are doing to curb boko haram , provide their citizen with jobs & provide social amenities for their people,they are busy wasting tax payers money by traveling to & fro. The so called new PDP,what are you doing to join hands with the present Govt to stop Boko Haram or to advice this so called Governors? Form a new party if you are tried of PDP except you are not being sincere.
ReplyDeleteBoko Haram, failed. Amaechi's treachery, failed. APC, failing. Disgruntled governors' balkanization attempt, failing. Third term label, failed.
ReplyDeleteI pity these anonymous(s) senses of reasoning. Time will tell if the G7 are wrong. I believe 2015 isnt for GEJ!
ReplyDeleteThese news saddened the heart!! Nigeria!!! Well I guess the end is so near!
ReplyDeleteGEJ D BIGGEST FAILURE, HE FAIL IN ALL RAMIFICATION. GULAK IS A HUNGRY MAN DAT IS LOOKING 4 FOOD TO EAT, HE CANT WIN ELECTION EVEN IN HIS FAMILY HOUSE.
ReplyDeleteIF BRO JONA DON'T WIN THE ELECTION WHO WILL WIN,??/ ARE YOU STUPID ,,,, YOU ARE A BIGGEST FOOL, BY SAID THAT.HE WILL RING IT AND WIN,THAT IS THE LEAVE IF YOU DON'T KNOW. WHO VOTE FOR OBJ FOR THE SECOND TERM? BUT HE WIN THE ELECTION.
ReplyDeleteThe governors are just heating up the
ReplyDeletePolity.
3.11p.m. Na wah for dis ur English man. Na by force den dey write in a forum. I beg go back to primary school boy.
ReplyDeleteI am not saying Jonathan would win, but who is the candidate who can really get a popular vote of Nigerians against Jonathan?
ReplyDeleteYou cannot cry more than the bereaved. If Jonathan is not governing well. The senators and rep members would have impeached him or at least pass a vote of no comfedence.
ReplyDeleteG7 are on there own Nigerians are wiser now
G7, GROUP OF SEVEN GREEDY GOVERNORS.
ReplyDeleteWE ARE NOT FOOLED!
Rotimi Amaechi should learn from Absalom. It is dangerous to behave like Absalom.
ReplyDeleteIt is very unfortunate that this G7 are glamouring for power by all means. But the big question is that; What plan do the have for Nigerians, What do the want to fix that was wrong? what is their interest? How have they transformed their state? What have they done in their state to curtail the massive killing in those state which the represents? The president have been battling with the insurgency in the same area these same G7 came from and there never been a time any of this group spoke for once on this issue of Boko Haram nor do they condemned the act but now it's politics where they stand to gain, they all gather round and say they are consulting leaders for peace.The big question is that- is there any peace and dialogue that is more than
ReplyDeletewhat is happening in the northern part of Nigeria, where over 7000 people where killed? The answer is open for you to answer..........!
One big mistake the so call new PDP as the call themselves made is that the certainly revealed their bias mind,their political sentiment by playing regional politics. They all forgotten so fast that Nigerians are better informed.